One of the best gigs of last year in Edinburgh’s Sneaky Pete’s was Australia’s Radio Free Alice. They played the Scottish capital’s iconic independent venue back in June in advance of the EP Polyester (Double Drummer), and it was simply extraordinary. I bought a tee that night and so finding myself with the opportunity to interview the Naarm/Melbourne-based band in Austin during SXSW, the dilemma was “Do I wear the tee of the band I’m interviewing?”. Of course I do. Radio Free Alice had just been confirmed on the short list for 2025 Rolling Stone Australia awards in the Readers Choice category which included icons such as Delta Goodrem and Crowded House as well as fellow up-and-comers hardcore crew SPEED and Gut Health. Sitting down with Lochie Dowd (drums), Noah Learmonth (vocals, guitar), Jules Paradiso (guitar) and Michael Phillips (bass, saxophone) on the last official day of SXSW’s Music Festival, the conversation began on their time in Austin.
How has SXSW been for Radio Free Alice?
Noah: The shows have been great. We’ve been very happy with people turning out for us.
I do need to ask about The Killers support shows. You opened for them in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Was that nerve wracking or exciting?
Michael: It was a bit nerve wracking. However, we sort of quickly learned that in playing stages that size there is a slight disassociation with the actual size of the crowd. So whilst we were very nervous for the first few shows, we soon realized it feels similar to playing a room for 100 people. It was a surreal experience to put it simply.
Noah: It’s crazy how quickly you adjust.
Michael: Driving into the first stadium felt absurd.
Lochie: And you have an army of stage hands, putting all the stuff on and off stage, and juicy steaks backstage. It’s just so extra compared to anything that we’ve experienced before.
You were probably trying to jump in and do things yourself, and then you’d remember you’ve got somebody to do that for you! The exposure for you within Australia must be immeasureable.
Noah: Yeah, it was good. But I also feel like the people that go to a Killers concert are not the people that would necessarily be interested in following a young, up and coming band. It was good for us, but I think that opening for a band like The Killers, even though you’re getting in front of a lot of people, the type of people isn’t perfect. The type of people that go to an arena Killers concert aren’t the same people that would see us at The Night Cat in Melbourne, you know? It’s still great but I guess my point is how many people you play in front of is important, but also who you play in front of. But it was amazing.
Credit: Julia Mason
Noah you’ve said previously that the music comes first and then the lyrics. And that you’re a bit lazy, they tend to be finished a day or two before you go into the studio. Is that still the case?
Noah: Well we’re recording in Connecticut, and we’ve got some days in New York between now and then, and I’m stressed because I’ve got to write some lyrics. We’ll be recording three songs, it might be an EP or maybe singles.
Are you a note taker? Do you write ideas and lyrics down so that when it comes to record you can draw on that?
Noah: I’ve got some stuff, but there’s a lot of crap! But yeah, I’ll get it done.
Your songs tend to be narrative driven. What you’ve recorded so far, they’re not so personal, you’re looking outward and telling a story.
Noah: Yeah, I find that easier. I really like Billy Bragg, and sometimes I feel like there’s a shortage of narrative based lyrics, as opposed to that more earnest style of “oh I’m looking out the window and I’m sad”. That’s good too, but there’s a shortage of stories.
So for the music creation, is that between you all?
Michael: Yeah, we sit in a room and play until we get something good.
Noah: We play a lot together. We do jams.
Lochie: We just hit record, and then after 30 minutes of playing we’ll go, “Oh yeah, that bit of the start or middle was good”. Then go back and sort of pick apart what was going on and just flesh it out a bit. Usually I feel like the good ones come together kind of quickly. I mean, it does change but often good ones will come together pretty quickly, within one session. All the bits will sort of be there, we’ll just have to write a bridge or something.
Noah: We have to sift through the jams. In 12 days there’ll be a tiny nugget at the very end!
Lochie: The reality of it is that it’s just like, you know, you’ve got to get through the shit.
Noah: And by God there’s a lot of shit!
Lochie: You’ve got to be willing to deal out the shit and take chances in order to get something actually, like, kind of not shit!
I’m already looking forward to the album Radio Free Alice – The Shit Years!
Seriously though I do think Radio Free Alice is seeped within the late 70’s early 80’s scene. You have a punk aesthetic with the scuzzy guitars of The Skids or The Stranglers, but then the dancey artiness of Talking Heads and the roar of The Clash. You have all these different elements in your music. And even though the subject matter leans into the darker side of life, there is a lightness in the music. It’s not all doom and gloom.
Jules: Noah brings it down! But yeah, it’s all about dynamics, getting a balance.
Finally what are the plans for the rest of the year?
Noah: We’re coming back to America in September, and we’re moving to London in June. Wait, I just got that the wrong way around!
You’re moving from Australia to London! I’m guessing that it gives you closer access to the beating heart of the industry.
Jules: Yes absolutely, entirely motivated by that. 100%.
And will there be more new music this year?
Michael: Yeah definitely, there’ll be three more singles at the very least.
Noah: And then an album next year……
I must close with a thank you, for not only the interview but for playing ‘Damaged Goods’ cover at the end of the gig in Sneaky Petes, and of course the tee….
For more information on Radio Free Alice please check their facebook and instagram.
Credit: Julia Mason
